It will be just like old times Sunday for Matt Vasgersian, broadcasting a game from Qualcomm Stadium involving a crummy local team.

“That's horrible,” Vasgersian said when I suggested that the other day.

Hey, why not go out the way he came in?

Vasgersian sat at the Q for his first two seasons (2002-03) with Channel 4 San Diego watching some awful Padres baseball, and now for his first work assignment there in more than five years – not to mention his last in San Diego for who knows how long – he gets a 4-7 Chargers team against Atlanta.

Vasgersian, who is moving to New York in January to become lead studio host at the new MLB Network, originally said he hadn't been at Qualcomm since the final Padres game there on Sept. 28, 2003. Then he recalled attending a Chargers-Steelers game on a Monday night in 2005.

Still, he said Sunday would be “a weird experience. But I'm looking forward to it.”

Of course, at this point Vasgersian is looking forward to any play-by-play work, since time is running out on that stage of his career. He said he's talked to his new employer about possibly calling a few baseball games, but he's got only one more month of NFL games and the Fiesta Bowl (don't think the USC alum is not rooting for the Trojans to make it there) before he has to give up his football job at Fox Sports.

“I have been thinking a lot about giving up football,” Vasgersian said. “The NFL is so significant, so relevant culturally – I enjoy football so much, and I like to think I've gotten to be OK at it. I'll miss that stuff for sure, but I don't think it's permanent.”

The thought of not doing play-by-play, however, “doesn't bug me as much as leaving San Diego bugs me,” he said. “I'm really having misgivings about that.”

Not that he's having second thoughts about taking the new job, but he knows it will be different in New York. And he's definitely not selling his home here.

“I look at it as a 3-to-10-year vacation,” he said. “The quality of life here is incomparable.”

And, while MLB Network already has hired quality analysts like Al Leiter, Harold Reynolds and Joe Magrane to work with Vasgersian, surely it won't be the same without Mark Grant. In fact, I asked Vasgersian if Grant might be at Sunday's Chargers game, just for old-time's sake.

“I asked him that, hoping he would, because I would love the opportunity to dedicate a camera to him and (track) his yogurt consumption,” Vasgersian said. “But he's not coming.”

Vasgersian will be working with his regular football partner, former Chiefs defensive back JC Pearson, the former El Camino High star. Another reason it would be a shame if the Chargers don't find a way to get the local TV blackout lifted and the game on KSWB Channel 5/69. That's not the kind of PR this team needs right now.

Speaking of blackouts

Thursday's game against visiting Oakland marks the Chargers' first appearance in an NFL Network game. Since a blackout would mean all of Southern California, including the nation's No. 2 TV market in Los Angeles, would be unable to see the game, I find it hard to believe someone won't figure out a way to make it available.

For those who don't get NFL Network, relax. The game also is scheduled to be shown on Channel 5/69. And for those wondering how the Raiders ended up in an NFL Network game (at least the Chargers were supposed to be good), analyst Cris Collinsworth joked recently, “I didn't get a vote.”

By the way, Collinsworth said this week he still hasn't figured out this year's Chargers, although he has a few ideas: They're not as physical; they don't get enough pressure on the quarterback, and the running game is “not even close to what it's been the last six or seven years.”

Added Collinsworth: “Face it, (Shawne) Merriman was the emotional leader out there, too. That was a part of it. And Marty Schottenheimer, let's give him some credit. Schottenheimer was one of the great defensive coaches and run-game coaches; that was his M.O., that's what he did best.”

Thursday's game also will be broadcast in 3-D to theaters in Los Angeles, New York and Boston, but it won't be open to the public. The game will be shot with special cameras and transmitted to the theaters. It's the first time an NFL game will be seen live in 3-D, but any regular telecasts in 3-D likely are years away.

More on Ch. 4

The search for Vasgersian's replacement continues, and sources say at least two candidates have been interviewed, Victor Rojas (Rangers) and Dave Sims (Mariners, ESPN). Craig Nichols, vice president and general manager of Channel 4, confirmed he asked for permission to speak with Rojas and said “a couple of candidates” have been interviewed, but he declined to name them.

“I expect we'll talk with a few others as well,” Nichols said via e-mail. “I still intend to have a selection identified by the end of the year.”

Flipping channels

Tomorrow's USC-Notre Dame game is on ESPN at 5 p.m., but this has nothing to do with that network taking all the big events from sister network ABC. This is a belief that Oklahoma State-Oklahoma is a better game. And if you're thinking it's been a while since the Trojans-Irish game wasn't on network TV, you're right. According to USC, it happened last in 1985 (and again in 1983) when the school was on probation and ineligible to be on TV. The last time it happened with no strings attached was 1981, and before that it was 1971.

Tomorrow's biggest game, at least for fans of the Rose and Holiday bowls, is Oregon at Oregon State, which will be shown at 4 p.m. on Versus. If the Ducks win, they'll be in the Holiday Bowl (unless USC somehow gets to the BCS title game). If the Beavers win, they'll be in the Rose Bowl and Cal likely will come here.

Looking for something other than football? The Skins Game is on ABC at 10 a.m. tomorrow and 12:30 p.m. Sunday, with Phil Mickelson, Rocco Mediate, K.J. Choi and two-time defending champion Stephen Ames.

Sunday's MLS Cup telecast on ABC earned a whopping 0.3 rating locally on KGTV Channel 10. At the same time, the first half of a Mexican League doubleheader on Azteca America doubled that at 0.6, and the second soccer game did a 0.7. MLS fever, catch it!